Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a box and conduit hanger support. More particularly, to the hanging installation of an electrical junction box and conduit installed with a threaded rod or similar support from a ceiling.
Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Typically when installing wiring in a building, junction boxes and conduits are used to route and protect electrical wiring. Electrical code requires both the box and the conduit be adequately mounted to a structure or support to resist movement. For routing and protecting wires on the ceiling, junction boxes are suspended using rods anchored from concrete material. The junction boxes provide access for maintenance that may be required in the future. In addition, conduits connected to junction boxes must be sufficiently supported within specified spacing as noted in Electrical Code.
There have been several methods for supporting hanging junction boxes using an arrangement of brackets, rods, and conduit clamps. One method of support uses threaded rods anchored to the ceiling to support an electrical junction box. Each conduit is then subsequently supported with additional rods. An alternative method uses brackets extending outward from the central portion of a junction box. Conduit clamps at the end of each bracket are used to support conduit connected to the junction box. Both methods require numerous parts and steps for installation, thus increasing labor costs. An alternative method requires only one rod and greatly reduces parts and steps needed for installation. Reference to this method can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,332 issued Mar. 16, 1999 to Bobby Collard for a unitary plate that provides support for both the junction box and conduit. However, there are cases of inadequate space from the ceiling to the floor, making it difficult to provide maintenance for conventional methods. The present invention will solve this problem while still accommodating the aforementioned methods.
Other patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,283 issued Apr. 20, 2010 to Peter A. Vrame et al., discloses a Support Bracket for Electrical a Box. In this patent the connecting conduit must be placed through the supporting arm. This arrangement requires fixed dimensions between the arms and conduit and does not allow for adjustment or re-positioning of the conduit or support bracket.
U.S. Publication Number 2010/0155105 was published on Jun. 24, 2010 for Cong Thanh Dinh and discloses a Cable and Box Support Plate. The plate in this publication supports flexible conduit that relies upon gravity to hold flexible conduit within slots formed in the plate. While this patent allows for connection with an electrical junction box and conduit, the location of the supports are fixed and do not allow for adjustment of the position of the conduit to the junction box.
What is needed is a box and conduit hanger support that can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal orientation and further allows for ridged conduit to join the hanger for adjustable locations and directions. The present box and conduit support found in this disclosure provides the solution.